Strong earthquake strikes near Vanuatu in Pacific

SYDNEY 
A strong earthquake has rattled the Pacific island nation of Vanuatu. There are no immediate reports of damage or injuries, and no tsunami alert has been issued.

The U.S. Geological Survey says the magnitude-6.3 quake struck Friday, 95 kilometers (60 miles) north of the island of Santo, at a depth of 179 kilometers (111 miles).

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center did not issue an alert.

Vanuatu is part of the Pacific "ring of fire." That's an arc of earthquake and volcanic zones stretching from Chile in South America through Alaska and down through Vanuatu to Tonga in the South Pacific.